47-55.1 Nelly Bell (1953 6400 Grain Truck)

[tanker916]

I am a Kansas farm kid that joined the army and is stationed in the middle of no where (AKA Fort Bliss TX). Needing something to keep my self busy I bought a 1952 International T6 crawler. Two years latter it is restomoded to better than new and I am in need of a new project.

Insert my grandpas 1953 Chevy 6400 grain truck that he named Nellybell. He bought it used in 1956 and has had it since, it also spent every night in the equipment shed. My mom, aunt, and uncle all drove it as soon as they where big enough to help out on the farm. Back in the 80's (ish) the breaks went completely out and he parked it for good in his equipment shed.

So what im looking to do with this truck, everything. I want to put disk brakes on it as well as putting a new engine in it. After that time for new paint, sound dampening, and electrical work.

So onto the questions im hopping you all can hopefully answer.
1. Are the brakes on the front the same size/kind as those on the smaller size trucks? IE would this conversion kit work? http://www.wilwood.com/BrakeKits/Bra...ck&option=Base
2. When I looked at the engine bay it seemed cavernous to me. Would this kind of engine fit? http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...ssed-ps6320ctc

[mongocanfly]

welcome..nice project truck...love to see trucks with family history..that's some ambitious plans you have there...with that big of a engine your gonna need a lot of upgrades...to everything...I would check into just using the cab and upgrading to a later model frame that already has coil springs, a arms, and everything..
not sure what your plans are..ratrod, hotrod, dually,towrig, lowrider,,????...
if it was mine I'd just drop in a LS for a lot less $$$ than that 632...
you can pick up a LS3 and trans for about half that cost...and its stock at about 450hp

and THANK YOU for your service

[73kay]

Welcome to the forum, I'm a fort hood and I have a half ton front end that you can have. It will make things easier for you. I put in new bushings and it has the leafs/hangers. Hell I also got a Chevy 250 that you can throw in there easy enough if you don't want the old stove bolt. Let me know if I can help at all.

[dwcsr]

The brakes are not the same as smaller trucks. the 6400 has not much in the way of compatibility with the 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton's. Another resource for you would be www.stovebolt.com, They are into the larger trucks and many guys there have the 6400. I don't believe a 1/2 ton axle will even be close to bolting up. Your looking a larger truck axle swap for disc brakes

[mr48chev]

Welcome to the group.

As you already see you will get a lot of different ideas and suggestions on here. Some are workable and some just won't fly with you plans for the truck.

First I would take stock and decide how I want the truck to look and what plans I have for it. From what I see you want it to still look like grandpa's truck did but have some modern brakes and a more modern engine that might be able to do road trips better.

Engine wise the late 60s an up though the 70's 292 sixes still do duty in a lot of trucks that size. The other option is to swap to a V8 and maybe a 5 speed ovedrive transmission out of an 80 something truck.

Disk brakes on that axle. Right now I don't know of any setup that will bolt on. You might look into late 70's or though the 80's 1-1/2 and larger trucks to see what sizes had an I beam axle and disk brakes. For the later axle to work you would have to have the center of the spring bolt hole in each side of the axles be real close if not exact so the axle would swap or see if the king pins are the same or close enough that with some machine work the spindles would swap.

This link takes you to a stovebolt thread on swapping disk brakes on the bigger AD trucks and may help once you read through what he is saying a couple of times. https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads...25027&page=all

The thing is that most guys with that size truck either restore them back close to exactly as they were when new of the dealer's lots or do a lot of swapping around usually just keeping the cab and end up with a truck that looks nothing like it did from the start.

[mr48chev]

This link is for the GM Herritage center's info on 53 trucks and if you scroll way down the page you find the specs on the 6400. Scroll further down and you find the specs on the axles including the king pin info mentioned in the stove bolt thread. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf That may be of help if you consider a spindle swap.
Save that link as it has a lot of info and measurements in it that one tends to need quite often.

[mongocanfly]

lower50s used a big truck for his build...he squeezed a diesel in his...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=648459

[tanker916]

Thank you all for the help the link to the heritage site answered a lot of questions I had about inter model compatibility.

Sorry for not keeping you all up to date on my shenanigans. I went home in June and took advantage of being in the same zip code as the truck. After two days of tinkering on the trucks electric system me and my grandpa where able to get her to run on either. A added surprise was the old fuel pump still working, this was verified by it pumping 30 year old gas onto the engine while it was running on either.

Mid September I plan on going back up there, putting her on a trailer, and bringing her home with me so I can actually start working on her instead of tinker.

First order of business is the brakes, I found a gentlemen that makes disc brake conversions for the front so that takes care of the leaks in the front. Rebuild the drums in the back and then tackle the master cylinder.

I have seen mentioning of a hydrovac booster yet when I try to find pictures or diagrams I have no luck, anyone know of a place I can go and get a shop manual?

[1project2many]

Hydrovac?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keChCevuKk8

Available on later C50 and C60 trucks. With some research could find something for the older rigs.

[mongocanfly]

I'd skip on the hydrovac and put a hydroboost(requires p.s. pump)...or use vacuum booster...

[QMCUSNR55]

Hey Tanker916,
What company did you find that makes a disc brake conversion kit for your 6400?
I have been looking for one for a 4400, but everyone I have contacted only make one up to a 3/4 ton.

[tanker916]

They are made by a fella that owns a steel making company. His handle is
RDomeck on the stove bolt forum.

[QMCUSNR55]

Thanks for the info, I will look him up.

[OlySezHey]

Hey tanker916 n qmcusnr55, how those disc brakes workin for you? I just got a '57 6400 and wanna do the same